Playing days

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He arrived at Swansea from the Saints in 2004 and would go on to spend 11 years as a player with the club making more than 250 appearances.

In 2008, after a long break with a knee injury, he came back to captain the Swans to promotion to the Championship.

And in 2011 he was the skipper who took the Swans into the Premier League via the play-offs.

He started the 2013 League Cup final on the bench but came on after an hour and jointly lifted the trophy with Ashley Williams as the Welsh outfit won 5-0.

His final game came at St Andrew’s in the Swans’ 3-1 Capital One Cup defeat in September 2013. He played the whole 90 minutes as Blues won through goals from Dan Burn, Tom Adeyemi and Matt Green. Wilfried Bony pulled one back for the visitors in the 90th minute.

Ell of a time

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Sixth months later, in June 2016 he replaced Steve Evans at Leeds United.

He spent one season at Elland Road, taking the club to within goal difference of the Championship play-offs.

By Leeds were sixth, in the quarter finals of the EFL League Cup and Monk was nominated for the October Championship Manager of the Month award.

Leeds were dumped out of the FA Cup by lowly Sutton United and Monk had a touchline spat with Huddersfield’s David Wagner

No matter, the Whites were 11 points clear of seventh place by March and seemingly destined for the play-offs - until the wheels fell off.

They won just one of their final eight games and were pipped by Fulham on the final day.

Everyone expected Monk activate a one-year contract extension but then he resigned on May 25 last year.

“I saw myself at this fantastic club for many years to come. After discussions with the new owner, we have unfortunately been unable to agree a suitable way for us all to move forward together,” he said.

Tees time

A couple of weeks later he was appointed manager of Middlesbrough charged with taking the club immediately back to the top flight.

He would last just seven months and - like Blues boss Gary Rowett - be sacked within hours of winning a match.

The 2-1 victory at Sheffield Wednesday did not save his skin as Boro sat three points outside the play-offs.

He said: “My staff and I were surprised by the timing of the decision. Of course, we expected to be higher up the league and to be seeing more consistent performances by this stage.

“I do accept my responsibility for that, but the feeling among everyone in the dressing room after Saturday’s game was that it was the turning point in our season, knowing that there was still half of the campaign remaining.”

Since then

He has been ‘reflecting’ on his time at Boro, speaking to experts in other sports like rugby union, snooker and tennis and recently declared himself ready for his next challenge.

“It’s never good to lose your job but I am ready to go back in and ready to start working. I am waiting for the right opportunity, I am ready to go and when the opportunity comes, I will take it.”